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SHERBORN LIBRARY

3 8106 96081 983 8

Sherborn Walks

Exploring Publicly Accessible Lands in Sherborn, Massachusetts

974.44
t SH

Copy 8

Arthur Schnure

SHERBORN LIBRARY

4 Sanger Street
SHERBORN, MA 01770
(508) 653-0770

Sherborn Environmental Information

Town Area: 10328 acres, or 16. 14 square miles
Population: 4252 as of January 1, 1991
Highest Point Above Sea Level: 396 feet - Brush Hill
Lowest Point Above Sea Level: 120 feet - Charles River
Weather:

Annual Rainfall: 45.2 inches

Average % of Possible Sunshine: 52%

Freeze-Free Period: approximately 175 days

Average First Fall Freeze: late October
Average Last Freeze in Spring: late April
"Safe" Date to Set Out Tender Plants: May 31

- X
-X S

o w

Li 2

■ -U O
.u 03

Average Temperatures from Blue Hill Observatory. Milton:

Average

Temperatures

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Avg

Daily Maximum

Daily Minimum

Bodies of Water:

Charles River Tributaries:

Bogastow Brook

Dirty Meadow Brook
Dopping Brook
Indian Brook
Sewall Brook

Sudbury River Tributaries:

Course Brook
Beaverdam Brook
Large Ponds:

Farm Pond - 124 acres
Little Farm Pond - 22 acres

Prevaleru Vegetation:

Upland Forest - areas of well-drained high ground. Trees: red oak {Quercus rubra), white oak {Quercus alba), black oak
{Quercus velutina), black birch (Betula lento), white pine {Pinus strobus), bittemut hickory (Carya cordirormus), pignut hickory (Carya
glabra), white ash (Fraxinus americana), American beech {Fagus grandifolia), red maple {Acer rubrum). Understory vegetation: witch
hazel {Hammamelis virginiana), American chestnut {Castanea dentata), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), American hophombeam
{Ostrya virginiana), ironwood {Carpinus caroliniana), poison ivy {Rhus radicans).

Abandoned Fields - areas on moist to dry soils that were once open but are reverting to forest. Herbaceous meadow flowers
and grasses, buckthorn {Rhamnus spp.), blueberry {Vaccinium spp.), viburnum {Viburnum spp.), juniper {Juniperus spp.), crabapple
{Malus spp.), raspberry and blackberry {Rubus spp.), poplar {Populus spp.), grey birch {Betula populifolia), shrub dogwood {Cornus
spp.), spirea {Spirea spp.).

Forested Wetlands - areas subject to periodic flooding or having soils that are saturated most of the year. Trees: red maple
{Acer rubrum), white pine {Pinus strobus), elm {Ulmus spp.), swamp oak {Quercus bicolor), black gum {Nyssa sylvatica), wiUow {Salix
spp.). Shrubs: sweet pepperbush {Clethra alnifolia), highbush blueberry {Vaccinium corymbosum), speckled alder {Alnus rugosa),
swamp azalea {Rhododendron viscosum), spicebush {Lindera benzoin).

Scrub-Shrub Wetlands - areas of dense woody growth up to seven feet tall in saturated soil or standing water. Buttonbush
{Cephalanthus occidentalis), poison sumac {Toxicodendron vemix), rose {Rosa spp.), winterberry {Ilex verticillata).

Emergent Wetlands - areas of herbaceous and semi -woody plants growing in water up to eighteen inches deep. Purple loosestrife
{Lythrum salacaria), cattail {Typhus spp.), phragmite {Phragmites communis), cowslip {Caltha palustris), sedge {Carex spp.), rush
{J uncus spp.).

Prevalent Wildlife:

Mammals include white-tailed deer, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, opossum, striped chipmunk, gray squirrel, red squirrel,
woodchuck, red fox, grey fox, skunk, coyote. Birds include ruffed grouse, pheasant, woodcock, several species of owl and hawk, and
scores of songbirds. Wetlands animals and birds include mink, muskrat, otter, beaver, wood duck, kingfisher, herons, bittern, and
several species of snake, turtle, salamander, frog, and toad.

Sherborn Walks

Exploring Publicly Accessible Land in Sherborn, Massachusetts

DATE DUE

JUN

n 6 2111.?

JUL

1 7 2013

Demco, Inc. 38-293

iVood frog

By Arthur Schnure

Photographs by Dorothy Magadieu

This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without written permission

from the Sherbom Forest & Trail Association.

All photographs are by Dorothy Magadieu.

First Printing, July 1992
Second Printing, August 1992
Third Printing, September 1992
Fourth Printing, January 1993

Sherborn Walks is published in conjunction with Sherbom’s 325th Anniversary Celebration in 1999.

Cover Photo: Rocky Narrows Overlook looking down and across the Charles River in southern
Sherbom, in the Rocky Narrows Reservation - The Trustees of Reservations Land

For additional copies and information:

Sherbom Forest & Trail Association
P.O. Box 477

Sherbom, Massachusetts 01770

Proceeds from Sherborn Walks go to the Sherbom Forest & Trail Association to cover publication costs.
All profits will be used to enhance Sherbom’s publicly accessible trails.

Table of Contents

Sherborn Environmental Information Inside front cover

Preface by Elissa Landre 3

Dedication and Acknowledgements 4

Introduction 5

Sherbom’s PubUc Walking Trails 7

The Twenty-two Sherborn Walks

1 Bailey Trail 11

Spotlight: Snapping Turtle

2 Barber Reservation 13

3 Bogastow Trail 15

Spotlight: Vernal Ponds

4 Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary 17

Spotlight: Spring Peeper

5 Brush Hill Trail 17

6 Farm Pond 18

Spotlight: Fowler's Toad

I Grandfather’s Field 19

8 Hildreth / Schoolhouse Trail 21

9 Laurel Farm 23

Spotlight: White Pine

10 Leland Reservation 25

I I Little Farm Pond 26

Spotlight: Carnivorous Plants

12 MacGregor Quarry 27

13 Peters Hill Trail 29

Spotlight: Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk

14 Pine Hill Cemetery 30

15 Pleasant Street Trail 31

16 Rocky Narrows Reservation 33

Spotlight: Red Fox

17 Sewall Brook Trail 35

18 Sherborn Town Forest - Goulding Street to Farm Road 37

19 Sherborn Town Forest - Farm Road to Eliot Street 39

Spotlight: Hermit Thrush

20 Sherborn Town Forest - Eliot Street to Hunting Lane 41

Spotlight: Wood Turtle

21 Ward Parks Pond 42

22 West Goulding Street and Woodland Street 42

Notes on Sherborn’s Public Open Spaces 44

Appendices

Sherborn Birds compiled by Eliot Taylor 46 ||

Regulations for the Use of Sherborn Conservation and Town Forest Land 48 ^

Bibliography 49

Table of Sherborn Walks Inside back cover |j

Sherborn Walk Identifier Map Back cover |j

Red Fox

Preface

Author Art Schnure credits Margaret Klein Wilson’s Walks in Wellesley as an
inspiration for his Sherbom Walks. In doing so, he pays credit to an exciting trend toward
protecting, maintaining, and taking pride in public lands within political borders while
working toward connections across these artificial boundaries. Connections such as the
Bay Circuit Trail, described on page 7, benefit both people and wildlife. More than
eleven miles of Sherbom trails are part of the Bay Circuit, which circumscribes Boston
and provides wildlife corridors linking habitats as well as connections for human
enjoyment.

Sherbom Walks celebrates the many open spaces and recreation areas that enhance
the quality of life for local residents. Hopefully, it will also inspire additions to existing
public lands that will enhance the wildlife and recreational values for the future.

The book is well organized, and begins by describing the locations of particular
types of habitat, with a full page of environmental facts to orient the reader within the
town, including weather statistics, a list of bodies of water, highest and lowest points, and
vegetation types. The Spotlight boxes located within trail descriptions add detailed natural
history information on specific topics. Historical references in each trail description
remind the reader of the extensive human influences on the land during the past several
centuries. The List of Sherbom Birds, Bibliography, and Regulations will be helpful to
trail users. The Table of Sherbom Walks is an overview of the location of walks, map
availability, and ownership of the land.

This book, and its companion. Walks in Wellesley, will hopefully be the first in a
series of trail guides to towns in Boston’s western suburbs that will result in increased
appreciation and preservation of our natural heritage.

Elissa M. Landre

Broadmoor Sanctuary Director
Massachusetts Audubon Society

Dedication

Sherbom Walks is dedicated to John Scharding, who now makes his home in Ohio.
John did the field work required for mapping the public trails of Sherbom with both grace
and a fierce dedication to accuracy.

Acknowledgements

The Sherbom Forest & Trail Association maps were the work of John Scharding,
Barbara Kantorski, Janet Allison, Haldean Dalzell, and Susan Connelly.

I am particularly grateful to Dorothy Magadieu for all the photographs in this
publication and for her assistance in editing, both of which have substantially improved
this guide.

I wish to thank Michael Humphrey for his help, editing Sherbom Walks and for his
many valuable comments, I appreciate, too, Elizabeth Johnson’s providing much historical
data about Sherbom. Thanks for written comments also goes to Patricia Schnure,
Elizabeth Dowse, Richard Robinson, Tom Warren, Barbara Kantorski, Elissa Landre,
Haldean Dalzell, George Fiske, Margaret Robinson, Sarah Faldetta, Tom Harrington,
Janet Allison, Debby Flood and Patricia Temes.

The many contributions of Eliot Taylor are gratefully acknowledged. In addition
to editing assistance, the section listing Sherbom birds and most of the commentary about
birds are Eliot’s work. Tom Warren also provided much bird information.

I especially want to thank all the volunteers and town employees who have worked
over the years to keep the trails open. A debt of gratitude is also owed those people who
have donated land to the Town of Sherbom or to conservation organizations for the benefit
of us all.

I am grateful to Alphagraphics in Wellesley Hills for their design assistance and
high quality reproduction work.

An encounter with Margaret Klein Wilson’s book. Walks in Wellesley, inspired the
resolve that brought a several-year-old idea to fmition and provided the nature Spotlight
format used in Sherbom Walks.

Safety Caution

No publication can forewarn the reader of every hazard, nor can it anticipate personal limitations.
The walks in this guide are described in general terms and cannot be guaranteed to be safe for you.
When you walk, you must assume the ultimate responsibility for your own well-being. Exercising
common sense is key to a safe, enjoyable outing.

Poison ivy, a vine and a bush, is everywhere! Leaves three, leave it be.

Introduction

There is a hidden Sherbom that is known to few people, where scenic overlooks
remind one of New Hampshire, and water views rival those in Maine. This hidden
Sherbom is home to two rare/endangered animals’, one special-concern reptile^ three
rare/endangered plants\ two carnivorous plants^ and at least eight species of orchids^
Its lands are sheltered by old trees that inspire awe, and it is traversed by more miles of
public trails than public roads.

Although the scenic roads in Sherbom are often used, the scenic public trails are
not. Sherbom Walks identifies twenty-two off-road walks that are accessible to the public.
These walks offer a variety of landscapes that can be enjoyed in relative privacy, away
from crowds and motor vehicles. One can walk from the northwest end of town near
Ashland to the Charles River in southeast Sherbom, yet cross few roads and see few
houses.

It is hoped that this guide will inspire people to explore the natural wonders within
Sherbom’s borders and to see our town with new eyes.

* Blue-spotted salamander. Cooper’s hawk
2 Wood Turtle

^ Bush’s sedge, arethusa, Britton’s violet

* Pitcher plant, sundew

^ Arethusa, lady’s tresses, northern green orchis, pink lady’s slipper, purple fringed orchis, ragged fringed orchis, rattlesnake plantain, and
rose pogonia. Look for flowers in May, June, and July.

A sylvan glade on the Hildreth / Schoolhouse Trail

Sherborn’s Public Walking Trails

Sherbom is fortunate to have many acres of publicly accessible land and miles of
well-developed trail systems. The Sherbom Town Forest runs from the northern part of
town to the southeast, culminating in the magnificent Rocky Narrows Reservation. The
Sherbom Conservation Commission oversees numerous parcels, from large to small. The
Tmstees of Reservations owns an extensive section of Rocky Narrows Reservation and the
Grandfather’s Field. The Massachusetts Audubon Society owns Broadmoor Wildlife
Sanctuary, which includes most of the land around Little Farm Pond and Duck Pond. The
Sherbom Rural Land Foundation owns the Pleasant Street Trail lands.

Sherbom is part of the Bay Circuit Trail, a route that circles Boston between Route
128 and Route 495. The trail starts in Ipswich and ends in Duxbury, and covers at least
160 miles in a serpentine fashion. The idea of the trail is not new; it was originally
proposed in 1929 as an outer "Emerald Necklace" of parks, open spaces and waterways.
It is a dream that is continuing to evolve, with Sherbom’ s portion covering about 1 1 miles.
The trail enters Sherbom at Ashland and proceeds to Medfield, with almost all of the walk
on public lands. An annual Bay Circuit Trek usually takes place in June, during which
the entire trail is covered over a two week period, with Sherbom ’s portion taking a half
day.

Sherbom Walks describes twenty-two walks; estimates the approximate time it
takes to walk each one; rates each for its degree of difficulty; discusses each walk briefly
and points out its salient features. Sprinkled throughout these descriptions are Spotlights
which highlight local plant or animal life. Often, the subject of Spotlights is seldom seen
or appreciated, like many of the trails that are described in Sherbom Walks.

Because people often are not acquainted with the extent and diversity of Sherbom ’s
publicly accessible lands, they ask where they can walk to see water views, summit views,
large trees, boulders or meadows. Or, they wonder where young children can enjoy a
walk. The next several paragraphs summarize the answers to their questions.

All trail systems have woodlands, and most have wetlands on the site. Areas
having expansive water views are the Bailey Trail, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Farm
Pond, Leland Reservation, Little Farm Pond, and Rocky Narrows Reservation.

To appreciate the summits of Sherbom, it helps to visualize our town from a bird’s
eye perspective. Sherbom is part of a mgged upland watershed area that straddles the
Sudbury River and Charles River drainage systems. The southeastern part of town is
dominated by the flat wetland areas along the Charles River and its tributaries. The
northwestern part of town is more hilly and has fewer wetlands. A "spinal column" is
formed by a string of hills® that mns from the northwest to the southeast.

® Brush Hill (396’), Paul Hill (350’), Pine Hill (3(X)’), Mount Misery (278’), and King Philip’s Overlook (260’)

Copyrishl 1992 Sherbom Fomi & Trail Asaocialion

Summit views can be found at Peters Hill, King Philips Overlook at Rocky
Narrows Reservation, and at Rocky Narrows Overlook itself. Summits without views are
Brush Hill in the Sherbom Town Forest (Eliot Street to Hunting Lane) and Pine Hill, also
in the Sherbom Town Forest. Bmsh Hill once had a viewing tower located on its summit,
but now trees have retaken the lands and obscured the view.

It is difficult to find mature or old-growth forests in Sherbom, since virtually the
entire town was clear cut for pasture in the nineteenth century. If you walk in or near
some of the "impassable" wetland areas, you can find an occasional giant, but most of the
large trees you see are of twentieth century vintage. These forests may be termed
"mature" by foresters, but by biological standards, they are not.

Nonetheless, large trees are present on the Bogastow Trail, Broadmoor Wildlife
Sanctuary, Farm Pond, Hildreth/Schoolhouse Trail, Laurel Farm, Leland Reservation,
Little Farm Pond, Peters Hill, Pine Hill Cemetery, Sewall Brook Trail, and last, but not
least. Rocky Narrows Reservation. Rocky Narrows has a splendid and extensive hemlock
grove on the bank of the Charles River. Some of our largest, oldest trees stand next to
the roads, originally left standing to shade the roads for horses and people.

Where is ledge in Sherbom? The quick answer is "everywhere"! Large outcrops
are on the Bailey Trail, Barber Reservation, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Hildreth /
Schoolhouse Trail, Peters Hill, Pine Hill Cemetery, and Rocky Narrows Reservation.

Meadows are found on the Barber Reservation, Hildreth / Schoolhouse Trail,
Leland Reservation, Pleasant Street Trail, Peters Hill and Rocky Narrows Reservation.

Smaller-scale trails suitable for young children are at Broadmoor Wildlife
Sanctuary, Farm Pond, Little Farm Pond, and Ward Parks Pond. The Barber Reservation
and Leland Reservation are good meadow spots, with short walks to the fields from the
parking areas. The Bailey Trail is an interesting wooded walk for children older than four
or so.

There are also a number of smaller public lands and inaccessible wetlands, which,
because they lack trails, are not covered in this guide. Wetlands are often passable only
in January and early Febmary when water is frozen, and in the dry part of summer or
early fall. If you don’t mind crouching down, you can experience a magical world under
the 12-foot-tall highbush blueberries, where rabbits live in a sphagnum moss-carpeted
world. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers owns some of the wetlands, which it
purchased for the Natural Valley Flood Storage Project to prevent floods on the Charles
River.

While you are enjoying Sherbom’ s public walking trails, you can help make them
better. Everyone gains when litter is picked up or minor trail maintenance is done. If you
notice a need for major trail maintenance work, such as tree blow-downs or erosion,
please alert the Sherbom Forest & Trail Association.

Copyrigfal 1992 Sherbom Fotmt A Trail AMOcUtkn

And remember, no motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails. You will find
official regulations on the back of the large Public Lands map, which is available at Town
Hall for a small fee. The regulations are also printed here on page 48. Hunting, carrying
firearms, and target shooting are not permitted on public lands. If you notice violations,
please contact the Sherbom Police.

The Twenty-two Sherborn Walks

1. Bailey Trail

Sherbom Conservation Commission Easy/Medium

Map Location 2C Walking Time: 1 to 2 hours

Parking is available on the west side of Old Orchard Road, close to Washington Street
(Route 16). This is an easy walk, with gentle hills and trails that wind through granite ledge.
Ledge protrudes everywhere, offering the curious great possibilities for exploration.

The Bailey is a sweet walk
because of its meandering trails and water
view. Shortly after you enter, the trail
crosses an unnamed tributary that feeds
Dirty Meadow Brook. Downstream, the
water is impounded by Dunstable Dam
that was part of a 17th century road to
Framingham. Swans, mallard ducks and
other water birds make their homes here.

The graceful swans are managed
introductions to the pond and are much
appreciated for their beauty.

The trail loops around the
perimeter of the Bailey’s lands. The
northern part of the Bailey borders a
small wetland with a little open water.

However, the trail is in an upland dry
area, under deciduous trees. You can
extend your walk westward onto the Pleasant Street Trail, a property of the Sherbom Rural Land
Foundation. Here, the Sherbom Forest & Trail Association maps will be especially helpful.

Sherbom’ s premier "Balanced Rock" is here, a boulder perched on ledge, and is noted
on the map by a BB on the Red Trail. Close by the pond you can find many of Sherbom’s
common wetland flowers: wild geranium, jack-in-the-pulpit and skunk cabbage. Skunk

cabbages have small, stalkless flowers covering their nearly spherical thick stems. In late
Febmary, they are the first flowers to bloom in town. In August, purple loosestrife is abundant
and lovely along the pond banks. Around the pond, look for kingfishers, green-backed herons,
black-crowned night herons, wood ducks, and otters.

The trail is named for Eugene R. Bailey, a former Sherbom Conservation Commission
chairman who was instmmental in obtaining funds to purchase the Bailey Trail land and other
town lands. From 1700 to 1900 it was called Dunstable Meadow, and was a wet area prized
as a source of wild hay and which was mowed with hand scythes. About 1930, a fire burned
off the vegetation and underlying peat, changing the character of the area.

Spotlight: Snapping Turtle

A snapping turtle’s ugly appearance and its appetite for
young water birds earn it persecution and bad press!
But, snapping turtles play an important role in
maintaining a healthy waterfowl population and should
receive acknowledgement for the benefits they provide
to our native birds.

Because well-adapted native ducklings have developed
nicely by mid-spring when snappers become active, and
healthy wood duck and black duck young are smart, fast
swimmers, these birds are able to elude the snapper.
So, only birds raised too late or sick young birds are
caught by the snapping turtle.

Snapping turtles are preyed upon too. Raccoons and
sktmks eat their eggs, bass eat their young, and humans
destroy their habitat and kill them.

Copyrighl 1992 Sherbom Foresl & Trail Associalioo

2. Barber Reservation

Sherbom Conservation Commission Easy

Map Location IB Walking Time: 1/2 to 3 hours

There is plenty of space for parking in the lot on Western Avenue, behind the rail
fence. The Barber Reservation is quite large, comprising 189 acres. The Barber is a
great place to bring children, since there are open meadows for frolicking and paths for
walking throughout the Reservation. There are also plenty of features that will be of
interest to adults.

The Barber Reservation has perhaps the best variety of landscapes and habitats of
Sherbom’s public lands. It has an interesting history as well. The Barber Reservation
area has been farmed since the eighteenth century, as evidenced by the mosaic of stone
walls. In the early nineteenth century, a cattle drover named Benjamin Twitchell lived in
a house just north of the small red bam. He gathered cattle from the surrounding area,
then drove them to Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire to fatten them up for the fall
market in Brighton.

A summer view of one of the Barber Reservation’s lovely meadows

People who like meadows consider the Barber Reservation to be the crown jewel
of Sherbom’s public lands. Its mowed meadows evoke an English countryside. There has
been assistance from the town and much volunteer work done here over the years to bring
the Barber Reservation to its present fine condition. You will find horse jumps
throughout, because equestrian events are occasionally held here. The Barber is so large
that walkers and horses can easily co-exist.

Copyrig^ 1992 Sherbcm Forest & Trail Association

If you look closely, you will find many well- weathered trees that are loaded with
character, and even a tennis court that has been reclaimed by forest. If you continue west
to the power lines, you will have a commanding view of "Oz", the General Motors plant
in Framingham to the north. Keep heading west on the trails towards the Ashland border,
and you will reach a very large wetland area. Sherbom’s own "Continental Divide" is in
this area. The water here eventually flows to the Sudbury/ Assabet/Merrimac river system,
whereas most of Sherbom drains to the Charles River.

Outcrops of metamorphic rocks can be found near the power lines. Metamorphic
rocks are the oldest rocks in town and were originally formed by lava flows. Sediment
was then deposited over the lava. Later, both the lava and the sediment were deeply
buried in the earth, where heat and pressure caused them to metamorphose or be altered
to their present state. Geologic uplift brought the rocks back to the surface.

The Sherbom Forest & Trail Association hosts its annual Father’s Day Picnic in
June at the red barn near the parking lot.

If you walk in the meadows from May to August, please stay on the path or keep
to the edge of the fields, since the Barber’s fields are mowed for hay.

Bogastow Trail

< private, property
— marked trails
rock walls

3. Bogastow Trail

Sherbom Conservation Commission
Map Lxx:ation 3E

Easy/Medium
Walking Time: 1/2 to 1 hour

There are places to
park on the shoulder of
Bogastow Brook Road,
beyond the Spywood Road
intersection and just beyond
the pipeline crossing. The
hike is within the loop
formed by Bogastow Brook
Road and Spywood Road.

Much of this area of town is
wetland, but the trail is all
upland, nice and dry. It is
an easy, soothing walk that
takes you out of sight of
houses occasionally. You
will be close to wetland
areas that are vernal ponds,
described in the Spotlight.

Take the path
towards the center of the
loop, crossing the pipeline.

Go either right or left to
walk the loop trail. Use the
Sherbom Forest & Trail
Association map to locate a
partially hidden pond at the edge of a wetland area.

Spotlight: Vernal Ponds

Vernal ponds are low areas that hold water in the spring months,
then dry up in the summer, making them unsuitable habitat for
fish. Fish love to eat amphibian eggs and yoimg, so the lack of
predators makes the vernal ponds a wonderful breeding area for
frogs, toads, salamanders and turtles. Microscopic life, such as
fairy shrimp and water fleas, thrives there as well. These
creatures live only a few weeks, but they lay eggs that last
through the dry season and hatch the following spring.

The wood frog is an indicator species for vernal ponds, as it
breeds in these ponds exclusively. For a special treat in late
March or early April, listen for the "quack” of the wood frog,
which lasts only a week or so. The "quacks" herald the fabled
annual salamander migration, a several-day event when they
return en masse to the pond to mate. Vernal ponds are
extraordinarily active places in spring. Amphibians live much of
their lives on land, but return to their hatching spots to breed.
They then go their separate ways in the woods until the following
spring.

Many vernal ponds are not classified as wetlands, and are not
protected by wetlands laws. However, vernal ponds may be
certified by Massachusetts State Law, thus affording these unique
habitats some protection from development. To learn how to
certify vernal ponds, contact the Massachusetts Audubon Society.

This area could be considered a white pine tree nursery because of its dominance
here. Stone walls mark the hay fields and pastures of the late 19th century, so all the
white pines, red oaks, and beech trees with their smooth bark, are relative youngsters.
Some of the stone walls were built around boulders that were too large to be moved. The
Bogastow area has many of these boulders, called glacial "erratics", because they were
carried by the glacier and dropped away from their places of origin further to the north.

Copyrighl 1992 Shetbom Fotral & TraU As»ocumoo

4. Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

Massachusetts Audubon Society Easy/Medium

Map Lx)cation 4B Walking Time: 1/2 hour to all day

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary is
a popular 600-acre Massachusetts
Audubon Society property, which can
be accessed from Eliot Street (Route
16) in Natick, where there is a public
parking lot. There is an entry fee for
non-members. More than half of the
sanctuary is in Natick and the rest is in
Sherborn. A map of Broadmoor
Wildlife Sanctuary can be purchased at
the Visitor’s Center. Broadmoor’s
walks range from short to long, but
none of the nine miles of trails is
difficult.

A short summary such as this
cannot do justice to Broadmoor’s trails
and attractions. Highlights include:
the solar-heated Visitor’s Center, the
bridge over Indian Brook, a series of
historic dams, well-marked trails. Little
Farm Pond, and the Charles River.
Educational programs on natural history

Spotlight: Spring Peeper

Who doesn’t love the sound of the spring peeper?
Its lovely piping is a harbinger of spring. It can be
heard from late March for about two months until
the last solo frog ceases its lonely mating call. The
sound is not for human benefit, of course, but for
procreation. These amphibians are one of the most
numerous vertebrate animals in North America.

The spring peeper is a member of the treefrog
family. It makes a big noise for being only 3/4" to
1-3/8" long! The male frog calls from shrubs and
trees standing in or near the water. It uses most of
Sherborn’ s seasonal and vernal ponds in the spring.
The peeper’s call usually starts at dusk and
continues through the night. Winter finds it
hibernating under logs and loose bark. The spring
peeper’s choice of habitat points out the value of
forest floor "litter", which some consider unsightly,
but which is very useful for our "invisible"
amphibian hfe.

offered year round.

When you begin your walk at Broadmoor in Natick, head west toward Sherborn
to see where beavers have moved back to their ancestral home, much to the delight of
many. Their dam is in Sherborn, as are many private, well-maintained trails. You cannot
walk to the Sherborn side of Little Farm Pond from Natick, because the extensive wetlands
of Indian Brook make the way impassable.

5. Brush Hill Trail

Sherborn Conservation Commission Medium

Map Location lA Walking Time: 1 to 3 hours

Parking presents a problem for potential hikers, as Perry Street and Brush Hill
Road are quite narrow. This walk is of medium difficulty, due mainly to minimal
maintenance of the trails and a large section of crossable wetlands near Western Avenue.
The rest of the walk has pleasing curving trails through woodlands, with the exception of

a pasture returning to forest in the southernmost portion of the White Trail. Part of this
rarely-used trail follows a stream bed before emerging into the meadow populated by
young cedar trees.

The summit of Brush Hill itself is actually on Sherbom Town Forest land, to the
east. This conservation land serves as a link between Western Avenue and the Sherbom
Town Forest (Hunting Lane to Eliot Street), and is an important section of the Bay Circuit
Trail. It is seldom used, which contributes to its wildness. The wet area near Western
Avenue is notable for a wide swath of wetlands that Course Brook makes in wending its
way under the power lines.

The soil found throughout the walk is light and sandy, and was deposited here by
the glacier. The ledge you see is granite bedrock.

The cemetery on the north side of Perry Street is worth a visit. It is an ancient
spot, with wonderful old oaks. Across the street is the small Clara Barton Cemetery with
an elaborate gate, where children of Framingham prison inmates were buried. The
Conservation land to the west of Perry Street was a piggery for many years.

6. Farm Pond

Sherbom Selectmen Easy

Map Location 4C Walking Time: 1/2 hour

Parking is available during certain hours in the Farm Pond parking lot, but is
limited to Sherbom residents and others who have a Farm Pond sticker. Proceed to the
pond via the boat ramp on the north side of the parking lot or via the beach path at the
center of the parking lot. Look for lowbush blueberries along the paths during berry
season in July and August.

Farm Pond is a kettle hole,
formed by the glacier that melted in
Sherbom 12,000 years ago. During the
melt, a large block of ice was buried
under a layer of ice, gravel and sand.
As the ice melted, sand and gravel was
deposited in a ring around the ice
block. Finally, when the ice block
melted. Farm Pond was left with a
maximum depth of 127 feet. Its crystal
clear waters are fed by springs, instead
of the more common tributary
replenishment method.

Spotlight: Fowler’s Toad

In June and July, listen for the call of the male
Fowler’s toad as it sits in quiet water. It sounds
like the bleat of a sheep with a cold... an OOO-
WAH-OOOP sound that can be heard clear across
the pond. Farm Pond is the only known Sherbom
home of this 2" to 3" long toad, which can be
identified by its blotched back and unspiotted chest,
with a light stripe down its back.

The Fowler’s toad catches insects at night, and
hides in vegetation or in its burrow during the day.
You are much more likely to hear it than to see it.

Farm Pond is classified as a

"great pond" and has had public fishing rights since 1649. It is still a backup water supply

for the Medfield State Hospital steam boilers, which are fed via the brick water intake
house opposite the public beach. The pond was a reservoir for the hospital from 1897 to
1935. It was also the site of a thriving ice business from 1870 to 1930, with ice houses
located on both sides of the public beach.

If you have swum at Farm Pond, you have probably seen the great water view from
the top of the hill as you walked the path from the parking lot to the beach. Naturally,
the sand beach is a prime attraction in warm weather. It is the site of sailboating, fishing,
swim meets, July 4th water events, and the annual sand sculpture contest. It is a popular
place to ice skate in winter as well. There are picnic tables in the woods between the
parking lot and the beach. If you picnic, be sure to remove trash, as raccoons and
opossums will scatter any remaining scraps.

Sherbom’s sole public bath house is located at the south edge of the parking lot.
The recently refurbished stone structure has restrooms and a place to change clothes. The
public is encouraged to use the facility.

When you arrive at the beach, walk its length for a good view of Farm Pond.
Head north along the shore to the boat ramp. Further down, notice the Sherbom Yacht
Club dock, located on private property. Return to the beach area and make your way back
to the parking lot. The Sherbom Town Forest (Goulding Street to Farm Pond section) is
just across the street from Farm Pond, and provides another fine walk.

7. Grandfather’s Field

The Tmstees of Reservations
Map Location 4C

Easy

Walking Time: 1/2 hour

Parking can be a problem here. Farm Road is heavily traveled and has some tight
curves, so the road shoulder of Forest Street is safer for parking.

You may be acquainted with the curving field on the eastern edge of town, just
south of Farm Road at the Charles River. Please be sure to stay to its perimeter if you
choose to walk it, because it is an active hay field. The Grandfather’s Field, with its open
space and winding stone wall, is one of the finer sights on scenic Farm Road.

The field is bordered by wetlands, with the Charles River just beyond. The
wetlands are a miniature version of the classic red maple swamp which is found in so
many areas of Sherbom and New England. Watch for eastern bluebirds from March to
October and indigo buntings from late May to August.

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Copyrigbl 1992 ShcAom Fore«i & Tnul AModalioo

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8. Hildreth / Schoolhouse Trail

Sherbom Conservation Commission Medium

Map Location 1C Walking Time: 1 to 2 hours

Parking is unsafe at the Western Avenue entrance, and is not recommended on
Western Avenue. Your best bet for parking is on Pleasant Street. This walk is of medium
difficulty, with some steep grades near the power lines. You will see a variety of habitats
on this walk.

As you start the walk, imagine the one-room schoolhouse that once stood under the
trees, just to the right of the path. Continue to head west and you will pass through a
meadow, and enter a stately forest of large white pine trees. The trail winds through the
forest over a soft carpet of pine needles, and emerges at the power lines. Though the
power transmission towers and lines are not postcard-scenic, they can be interesting as
they provide good perches for red-tailed hawks and American kestrels.

If you hike northward,
you will reach a commanding
bluff where you can view the
ridge to the west in Holliston
and Ashland. Be sure to
investigate the dramatic rock
ledge, composed of Milford
Pink Granite, at the
northernmost part of the
Hildreth / Schoolhouse Trail.

Look closely and perhaps you
will also find evidence of the
small-scale granite quarry that
provided doorsills for some of
the older homes in town. The
ledge seen under the power
lines is also granite,

"polished" smooth by the
glacier.

Field sparrows, prairie
warblers, blue-winged
warblers, kingbirds, indigo
buntings and many other
nesting birds can be seen
under the power lines from
May to August. The open
area is called "second
growth", as shrubs invade the once-open fields. The power company becomes an
unintended ally of these birds, as it prevents the forest from returning completely, thus
preserving the habitat. Many wildflowers are present here, including bearberry, a member

Large granite ledge outcrop in the northern part of the Hildreth / Schoolhouse Trail

Copyri^ 1992 Sherbom Forest & Trail Association

of the heath family. It has clusters of nodding, bell-shaped, 1/4" white or pale-pink
flowers that bloom in spring.

You will see many fine stone walls on this walk, as you do throughout Sherbom.
The wide swath of the power lines enables you to sense the rural Sherbom of many years
ago, with its cleared fields and stone walls. Don’t be surprised if you spot deer as you
walk. Deer are present throughout the town and can be seen if you are lucky and
observant.

Wood turtle

Copyrighl 1992 Sherbom Forest &, Trail Association

9. Laurel Farm

Sherbom Selectmen Easy

Map Location 3 A Walking Time: 1/2 hour

There is a parking lot
along the access road to
Laurel Farm. Laurel Farm
is best known for its
baseball and soccer playing
fields. Less well known,
however, is the fine exercise
course around the perimeter
of the property. The course
covers six-tenths of a mile
(one kilometer) and has ten
exercise stations. It starts
near the access road, then
passes through the playing
fields, over a brook, and
into the woods. The route
goes south of the playing
field, and the trail passes
through a small grove of old
white pines.

Spotlight: White Pine

The white pine is the largest northeastern conifer, growing to a
height of 100’, with a trunk diameter of 4’ or more. New
England originally had virgin stands of white pine that reached
150’. Settlers and logging interests cleared these for timber.
White pines are still a valuable resource for construction,
nhllwork, trim and pulpwood.

It is apt that the white pine graces the Sherbom town seal. It is
a common sight in town. It prefers well-drained sandy soils
found in this area. Also, the white pine is an early succession
tree; it is one of the first trees to grow in new forests
regenerating in Sherbom after they were cleared for pasture.
Clearing peaked in 1840. Since then, the forests and white pines
have returned, particularly in the 20th century.

The easiest way to identify the white pine is by its five needles
in a bundle and its straight trunks that were once prized for ship
masts. It adds one row of horizontal branches each year, so an
estimate of the tree’s age can be made without cutting it down.

Look for old white pines on your walks; there are some large
ones still left in Sherbom.

You may also reach
the trail by following the
North Main Street sidewalk

northward until it ends. Here, bicyclists and walkers can use the path that leads from the
sidewalk to the trail.

Laurel Farm was the farm of the Cousineau family before it was sold for use as
a gravel pit. It was excavated to ground water level, then graded and planted for
recreation. There is a pond on the grounds, drained by a ditch to the east. The

transmission tower hill in the center shows the original level of the land before it was
excavated. Laurel Farm has a nice view toward Dowse Orchards in the west.

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10. Leland Reservation

Sherbom Conservation Commission

Map Location 2D Walking Time: 1/2 to 1-1/2 hours

Stormy day at the Leland Reservation.

Park in the lot on the west side of Mill Street, right next to the Lower Mill Pond.
This is an easy walk if you stay in the large meadow area across the street from the
parking lot. It is a little bit more difficult if you decide to walk in to see little-known
Upper Mill Pond.

If you are a history buff, you may be interested in exploring the ruins of the old
mills. The best ruins are found on Upper Mill Pond, where it is believed that Alex Barker
had a mill to manufacture trunnels, which are wooden pegs that were used to fasten
timbers. Use the Sherbom Forest & Trail Association maps to guide you north into the
woods. Notice the ancient white oak tree, with its enormous girth, to the left of the trail
as you head towards Upper Mill Pond. Some bushwhacking off the path will be necessary
to reach the brook where the stone foundations of the old mill are located. The wetlands
north of Upper Mill Pond used to be large cranberry bogs. Before that, from at least
1680, they were used as hay meadows.

Lower Mill Pond was the site of saw and grist mills which were inhabited by four
generations of Lelands and were used until the 1920’s. The water level was higher then
than now, because the dam spillway has deteriorated, but it used to have the best water
vertical drop (head) in town. The sawmill was built to saw the lumber downed by the
great hurricane of 1815. It first used a water wheel, and later in the 1860’s, a turbine.

The meadows across the road from Lower Mill Pond are a delightful spot to
explore. Dirty Meadow Brook, which runs through the middle, is a tributary of Bogastow
Brook, which feeds the Charles. Look for chipmunks which reside in the stone walls and
birds in the glades of trees on this interesting perimeter walk. Sometimes, one can also
see dogs training in the meadows here. Please be sure to stay to the edges of the fields
during the May-to- August hay season.

11. Little Farm Pond

Massachusetts Audubon Society
Map Location 4B

Medium

Walking Time: 1/2 to 2 hours

Park in the small lot
on Farm Road, 100 yards to
the east of the intersection
of Lake Street and Farm
Road, between house
numbers 101 and 105.
Proceed north along the
fence and follow the path
until you see the water. The
walk to the pond’s edge
requires only five minutes
and is an easy hike for
young children. Most of the
land around Little Farm
Pond is part of the
Broadmoor Wildlife
Sanctuary. Its waters are
publicly owned, since it is
classified as a great pond, as
is Farm Pond. People fish
here year-round.

Spotlight: Carnivorous Plants
Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia family) and Sundew (Drosera
rotundi folia)

Insectivorous predators in our midst! The pitcher plant captures
insects in its pitcher-like opening by attracting them with the
nectar it secretes. When the insect enters, the slippery walls of
the pitcher prevent its escape. Downward-pointing bristles guide
the insect to a pool filled with just enough rainwater and plant
digestive juices to digest it. The pitcher plant has an erect cap
that looks like the lid of a German beer mug and serves to
prevent the pitcher from becoming overfilled with rain.

The upper surfaces of sundew leaves are covered with tentacles,
which are tipped with globular heads so that the leaves appear to
be covered with dew. Tentacles at the edges of the leaves are
longer than those in the middle. When an unfortxmate insect
lands on a leaf, sticky "dew" holds it fast, and the tentacles bend
to cover the victim. The entire leaf also bends, allowing enough
tentacles to cover the insect so that it can be digested by the
plant.

Little Farm Pond is a gem! It is not as well known as the gentler and larger "Big"
Farm Pond, and its contrasting wildness makes it seem like a pond in Maine. One can
find several fine views of open water here. Little Farm Pond is home to the snapping
turtle, the great blue heron and other wildlife. Beavers are now enlarging the pond area
with their dam. See the Spotlight above for a description of carnivorous plants in the area.

Some of the trails at the pond’s perimeter are getting wetter as the water rises. It
is not possible to hike around the pond, nor can you reach the Natick portion of
Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary from here, because the wetlands of Indian Brook make the
way impassable. If you proceed west after reaching the pond, you will discover a network
of trails that will keep you busy exploring, if you so choose. The east side is private
property, so stay to the west.

12. MacGregor Quarry

Medium

Walking Time: 1/2 hour

Sherbom Conservation Commission
Map Location 2B

Park close to the cul-de-sac at the end of MacGregor Drive. Access to the quarry
is on the south side of McGregor, between house numbers 26 and 30, but it is difficult
going, because the path along a stream is overgrown and unmarked. The access trail is
scheduled to be reopened before the end of 1992. If you make your way through, you will
find a rough loop trail around the perimeter of the property.

The quarry is used mostly by neighbors for walks and ice skating. This old gravel
pit has a nice pond south of the MacGregor Drive cul-de-sac. Vegetation is reestablishing
itself here, and with the passage of years will yield a forest. In the meantime, this is a
fine place to view early plant succession. Cranberries can be found here, a native plant
that was once intensely cultivated in Sherbom.

13. Peters Hill

Sherbom Conservation Commission Medium

Map Location 2A Walking Time; 1 to 2 hours

Many people know this site by the rocks on the northern side of Coolidge Street, because
they are easily visible by car. Large winter icicles on the rock faces are a dramatic sight.
Parallel park in the marked lot on Coolidge Street, across from Prospect Street. Although Peters
Hill is a hike with a medium degree of difficulty, it does have rock faces that can be dangerous
for children if they choose to play at the dropoff or try to climb the rocks. A loop trail,
scheduled to be completed before the end of 1992, will lead east or west to take you to the
summit. Until this trail is complete, the only access is via Rockwood Street to the north.

From Coolidge Street, a direct route to the summit should be avoided, because it is quite
steep, and foot traffic causes erosion. From the parking area, the western loop path will be the
quickest route to the summit. Both directions are equally scenic, paralleling the 1000-foot long,
125-foot vertical drop of the rock face. The splendid views of the ledge looming overhead
epitomize the term used to describe Sherbom: rugged uplands.

This land was originally given to the town by Peter Ephraim, a Natick Indian, with the
stipulation that he retain the right to camp and farm on the land. His campsite was located near
a hemlock grove west of the summit, not far from the loop trail. In 1676, Peter was
instmmental in the defeat of the Nipmuck Indians during King Philips war.

When you approach the
summit from the west, you pass by a
spring which winds its way through a
boulder field. There are many fine
old white pine, hemlock and oak trees
to be seen on this walk. The summit
was once a cultivated field, as was
much of the town, but is now
gradually returning to forest as
saplings invade the perimeter of the
fields. The eastern loop trail skirts a
small hemlock grove and takes you
into a grove of beautiful white pine
trees.

From the summit, head north
towards Rockland Street, using the
Sherbom Forest & Trail Association
map. There is a very pretty view on
the power line easement, where red-
tailed hawks often can be spotted.
You can see Laurel Farm in the
distance, with Dowse Orchards in the

Spotlight: Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk

The power lines provide the red-tails with great lookout
perches from which to spot their prey: moles, shrews,

chipmunks, squirrels and an occasional rabbit. Agile small
birds are too quick for them to catch.

Only one red-tail in ten reaches maturity in its second year
and obtains the characteristic red tail. These birds use their
excellent eyesight and 40-mile-an-hour top speed to catch
food. They can reach 120 miles an hour from a high
overhead dive. However, their broad wings are more
suitable for soaring on 10 to 20-miIe-an-hour winds. Calm
days will find them observing the ground from their high
perches.

Sherbom’s one rare/endangered bird, the Cooper’s hawk, is
faster than the red-tail, as it is built for explosive speed. It
is smaller and more streamlined than the red-tail. Its
numbers have declined due to habitat loss. It prefers opai
woodlands and wood margins. Unlike other hawks, it is less
likely to be seen soaring high in the open.

foreground.

In 1925, crushed stone for road construction was briefly mined at the Indian Head
Quarry. The operation required blasting, which was controversial with the residents of the day.
There was concern that damage would result from the tremors with a resultant fall in property
values. In the end, the Board of Selectmen shut down the operation by refusing to grant a
license to the quarry to store and use dynamite. Thus, the ledge was moved back only a few
feet from the road, and remains as we see it today. There is ample evidence of the old quarry
in the boulders that have tumbled to the base of the cliff, some with drill holes evident.

Peters Hill is an example of the sculpting power
of the glacier. As the glacier slowly moved south, it
scoured the north side of the hill smooth into a gradual,
smooth slope, and dumped boulders on the south side, as
is shown in the drawing. Glacial striae, or scratches, on
the ledge show that the glacier moved south to southeast
through Sherbom. The boulder at the hilltop is an
"erratic" left by the glacier.

Peters Hill is the best place to view a sunset in
Sherbom. It has the second-best view of Sherbom’ and
a great panorama of the western horizon. When you reach the meadow at the summit, walk
towards the rocks. The view is from the top of the rocks at the precipice. Rock lovers may
better appreciate the craggy view up, from the base of the cliffs.

its orientation to the southwest gives

14. Pine Hill Cemetery

Sherbom Cemetery Commission Easy

Map Location 3B Walking Time: 1/2 hour to 1 hour

You may park in the lot next to Ward Parks Pond, a few feet from the iron entrance
gate, then walk up the hill. Or, you may drive up the hill and park in an out-of-the-way spot
in the cemetery. Once you are on top of the hill, the inclines are gentle and walking is easy.
There are no trails, but the roads provide a pleasant walk.

You may not have thought of Pine Hill Cemetery as site for a good walk, but it is quite
beautiful. Captain Jacob Pratt, an early landscape designer, used the concept of a garden
cemetery when he laid out the plan. This idea originated in Cambridge at the Mount Auburn
Cemetery. Notice the iron entrance gate at cemetery entrance. It was recently lovingly restored
to prime condition by Robert Buntin.* * From the entrance, the road angles up the hill, revealing
well maintained grounds and ledge, with many mature, stately trees to enjoy. The scene is
reminiscent of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town: the cemetery on the hill.

^ Many people think the best view is King Philips Overlook in the Rocky Narrows Reservation.

* Mr. Buntin was awarded a Preservation Award for 1991-1992 by the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

Pine Hill Cemetery was dedicated in 1852 by Reverend Edmund Dowse. Thus, most of
the other nine graveyards in town are considerably older. The ledge throughout the cemetery
is pink granite. A fault line runs in a small valley towards the east side of Pine Hill School.

All of the trees on the grounds have been planted. You can see beautiful red oaks, white
pines, hemlocks, spruce, sugar maples, and many other varieties. Look for eastern bluebirds
that have nested here in recent years.

The map on page 38 better shows Cemetery Lane, which is the road leading up to Pine
Hill Cemetery. The map also shows the sled hill, north of the cemetery entrance. This is a
popular spot after a snowstorm.

The wooded eastern part of the walk is included on the Bailey Trail map, but the western
meadow portion has no trail map. This parcel, a relatively recent addition to Sherbom’s
publicly accessible lands, has linked the Hildreth / Schoolhouse Trail and the Bailey Trail. The
Pleasant Street Trail includes one of the prominent hay fields on the eastern side of Western
Avenue. Harold Hildreth consolidated several small hayfields into one. He also channeled the
brook along Western Avenue, which is yet another tributary of Dirty Meadow Brook.

The Pleasant Street Trail crosses Dirty Meadow Brook itself near the border of the Bailey
Trail. In spring, look for marsh marigolds along the banks and in the stream, in the vicinity of
the plank bridge crossing. They have bright yellow 1-1/2" wide flowers, heart-shaped leaves,
long stalks and hollow stems. Please leave the showy blossoms so that others can enjoy them.

The trail entrance on Pleasant Street will soon be moved to a break in the stone wall.
At present, you must enter through a gate on private land to reach the trail.

From May through August, look for meadowlarks, bobolinks, bam swallows and
bobwhites in the hay fields by Pleasant Street. Here, there is a sufficient expanse of fields to
provide habitat for these birds.

15. Pleasant Street Trail

Sherbom Rural Land Foundation
Map Location 1C

Medium

Walking Time: 1/2 hour

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16. Rocky Narrows Reservation

Sherbom Town Forest Committee & The Trustees of Reservations Medium/Difficult
Map Location 4D Walking Time: 1 hour to all day

Many people have no idea how large and wild Rocky Narrows Reservation is, because
it lacks visibility from the road, and a nearby place to park is difficult to find. The Trustees of
Reservations now has a tiny parking lot on Forest Street, across from the Forest Street-East
Goulding Street intersection. The lot is defined by several boulders, and is located just to the
west of the Shell Oil pipeline. Rocky Narrows Reservation can be entered from the lot by
following the trails on the map. It is over one mile as the crow flies from the most remote spot
at the southeast tip of Sherbom.

If you walk from the parking lot westward on Forest Street, you may also enter Rocky
Narrows Reservation at the official entrance to the Sherbom Town Forest, 100 yards east of the
railroad tracks. It is marked by a sign.

Almost all of the
walks at Rocky Narrows
Reservation are of easy or
medium difficulty.
However, there is one trail
that can be considered
difficult: the breathtaking
trail high above the
Charles River in the area
of Rocky Narrows
Overlook, This trail
parallels the Charles River
and drops off sharply to
the river far below. The
trail itself has some steep
climbs. Those who

persevere will find the
most extensive scenic area
in town.

Rocky Narrows Reservation is quite hilly, and contains intriguing, interesting trails.
There are very few houses around its perimeter, because of its wetlands and its site on the
Charles River, so one can feel far away from the civilized world. Rocky Narrows Reservation
comprises Sherbom Town Forest and The Tmstees of Reservations land, totaling about 300
acres. The Charles River necks down to the Rocky Narrows, a narrow river passage with
boulders looming over the water on both sides of the river.

Many people think the best view in town is King Philip’s Overlook, a commanding vista
looking south over the Charles River into Medfield. The overlook was named for King Philip,
an Indian chief who warred with settlers in colonial days. To reach the granite bluff, you pass

Roots in the hemlock grove at Rocky Narrows Overlook.

through a hemlock grove that extends along the shores of the Charles. The view encompasses
the Charles River in the foreground, the vast Medfield/Millis marsh beyond, and the hills around
Route 109 on the horizon.

If you proceed downstream, you will come to the difficult trail leading to the Rocky
Narrows Overlook. Walking this trail is a grand experience, with hemlock needles beneath your
feet, the daylight subdued by a dense cover of mature hemlocks, and the water far below. The
overlook is an artist’s dream, with hemlocks framing the sky and the boulders of Rocky Narrows
in the distance.

The rocks at the Overlook are
volcanic tuffs, a reminder of time when
there were active volcanoes in the area.
The Charles River follows an ancient
fault, which can be identified by the
abrupt bluffs along the river. The fault
line of Pine Hill connects to these bluffs.

Downstream, The Trustees of
Reservations has a wonderful spot for
picnics and a favorite stopping place for
canoeists. Canoe books generally
consider the Sherbom-Dover-South Natick
portion of the river to be the most
beautiful stretch of water on the Charles.
Sherbom is fortunate that most of the
banks of the Charles are protected public
lands. The Trustees of Reservations land,
or have conservation restrictions placed
on the property which ensures that the
area will remain wild. These
conservation restrictions do not permit use
of the land by the public.

Spotlight: Red Fox

Foxes find good habitat in town, because meadows and
broken woods shelter its main food: mice. It also eats
other rodents, insects, carrion, grass, fruit and
occasionally, a rabbit. The fox is small; it weighs
about 10 pounds and is about 30 inches long. Its
luxuriant 17-inch tail makes it seem larger, but the tail’s
practical use is to keep it warm while it sleeps.

Chances are that you will not see a fox while you are on
a walk; you are more likely to see one from your car.
The fox’s renowned cleverness enables it to elude human
and animal enemies. It can elude capture by walking on
top of rail fences and nmning through shallow brooks.
Legend has it that the fox has crossed ice thick enough
to hold it, but too thin to support the weight of a dog
pack!

The red fox uses an underground den only as a nursery.
When its cubs are old enough to forage for food, they
sleep out at night. The red fox stays out even on bitter
cold nights in northern Canada.

A geological phenomenon is just up the railroad tracks towards the center of town, where
an esker was excavated to build the railroad. This esker, one of many in town, is a long thin
ridge of sand and gravel, deposited by a stream at the base of a glacier during the great melt.
The eastern side of the excavation here lacks vegetation, so the sand and gravel composition of
an esker can be seen. The esker can be viewed from the Bay Circuit trail, which passes by it.

The railroad running through the western part of Rocky Narrows Reservation was
constructed in 1869, It followed the route proposed in a private survey by Jonathon Holbrook,
who hoped to bring the tracks by his cider mill at the intersection of Forest Street. Because the
route was a half mile shorter, the railroad used it.

From May through July, black-throated green warblers nest in the pine and hemlock
groves. Throughout the Rocky Narrows Reservation, scarlet tanagers and rose-breasted
grosbeaks can be found from May to September.

Copyri^ 1992 Sherbom Forest A Trail Aasoctaiioo

17. Sewall Brook Trail

Sherbom Conservation Commission Easy

Map Location 3C Walking Time: 1/2 hour

This parcel has a
delightful walk that covers less
than 1000 feet with little change
of grade. Park at the southern
end of Bridal Path on the cul-
de-sac and proceed due south on
the path. The path passes under
some majestic white pine trees.
The Sewall Brook wetlands are
to your right (west) and left.
The path ends at Sewall Brook
itself, where it crosses onto
private property. Retrace your
steps, because there is no loop
trail.

The Sewall Brook
wetlands is habitat for several
rare or unusual species in
Sherbom, namely the wood
turtle, spotted salamander and
blue-spotted salamander.
Sherbom has several areas
officially designated as habitat
for these amphibians. Much of
Sherbom ’s wetlands areas may
harbor the secretive salamanders
and the turtle.

A snowy view of the trail near Sewall Brook off TTioroughbred Drive

Have you ever wondered

why the Charles River never floods? The wetlands store water like a sponge during rains, then
release the water slowly. In an innovative project, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers purchased
a large portion of the Sewall Brook wetlands as part of the Natur^ Valley Flood Storage Project.
The Corps sought to forever protect the wetlands from development by buying them, or by
placing restrictive easements in the deeds of privately owned wetlands. It is refreshing to see the
Corps use methods other than building dams to control flooding.

The wetlands here were converted to cranberry bogs in the early nineteenth century.
These bogs extended to the east and west of South Main Street. As the meadows have grown to
forests, the cranberry bogs have returned to wetlands. The brook and meadows were named for
Judge Samuel Sewall, who was famous as a judge in the Salem witch trials in 1692.

Copyrishl 1992 Sherbom Foreet & Trail AMOcUtioo

Sherborn Town Forest

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18. Sherborn Town Forest -

Goulding Street to Farm Road

Sherborn Town Forest Committee
Map Location 3C

Medium

Walking Time: 1 hour to 2 hours

To reach the Town Forest, park in The Trustees of Reservations Rocky Narrows
parking area, or use the Farm Pond parking lot if it is open and you have a parking
sticker. The walk is of medium difficulty, with moderate hills and well maintained trails.

The three long sections of the Sherborn Town Forest start at an entrance on Lake
Street. These three sections take a walker from the southern to the northern part of town.
The Goulding Street- to-Farm Road section has many trails. Use the Sherborn Forest &
Trail Association maps to guide you. Mount Misery, the fifth highest summit in town at
279 feet, is located on private land close to the border of the Sherborn Town Forest.

Most trails go through the woods, but you must follow the Shell Oil pipeline for
part of the way. As you head north, the trail veers back into the woods to the east before
reaching Farm Road. Be sure to take this route to avoid private land.

This area of the Sherborn Town Forest was ravished by fire in the 1930’s and has
been recovering since then. The habitat is open forest, allowing meadow wild flowers to
thrive in spots where sufficient sun reaches the forest floor. The Sherborn Town Forest
lands contain relatively few older-growth trees, because trees are harvested periodically
by the town, under supervision of the Sherborn Town Forest Committee. As a balance,
the Sherborn Conservation Commission forests are not managed for timber and tend to
have larger trees and more deadwood on the forest floor.

The trails roughly follow a series of north-south faults that helps to define the
Boston Basin. Eastern Sherborn was on the periphery of the intense volcanic activity
centered in Boston during the Carboniferous period, about 500 to 600 million years ago.
West of the faults, the rocks are older Precambrian, more than 600 million years old. The
rocks to the east are newer volcanic welded rock.

The Sherborn Town Forest has a long narrow shape, because it follows the Shell
Oil pipeline. Henry Channing is the person most responsible for the continuous block of
land of the Sherborn Town Forest. Mr. Channing donated the first 18 acres on Pine Hill;
then, in 1940, he negotiated a farsighted deal with Shell Oil to obtain the lands for the
Sherborn Town Forest. Some landowners abutting the pipeline route donated their land
to the town, others sold their land to Shell. Shell later donated the land to the town. The
town received an annual rental fee from Shell for use of the pipeline, an arrangement that
ceased in 1966.

Cof^fTight 1992 Sherborn Forest & Trail Associatke

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19. Sherborn Town Forest - Farm Road to Eliot Street

Sherbom Town Forest Committee Medium

Map Location 3B Walking Time: 1 to 2 hours

The Sherbom Town Forest trail follows a section of the pipeline, seen here from Farm Road looking north.

The best way to reach this section is to park in the Pine Hill School parking lot. Then
you have the choice of taking the David Doering Nature Trail, starting at the north side of the
parking lot, or, entering the trail behind the small jungle gym area and going southward.

Be sure to use the
Sherbom Forest & Trail
Association maps to
negotiate your way through
this area. If you are
coming from Farm Road,
continue along the pipeline
until you see a trail into
the woods heading west.
This route will eventually
take you to Pine Hill
School.

The David Doering
Nature Trail leads to an

Spotlight: Hermit Thrush

One of the few Sherbom homes of the hermit thrush is Pine HUl. The
relatively ' rare msty-tailed bird likes hilltops and mixed
evergreen/hardwood forests. From May to August, its song can be heard
near the summit of Pine Hill. It has been known to nest here for over
fifty years.

The song of the hermit thrush is an avian auditory delight, with its rich,
clear, flutelike timbre, and haunting reverberations in the evening dusk.
The song is similar to that of the more common wood thrush, but has four
or five phrases in different pitches, each introduced by long key note.
Each phrase is given after a pause. The hermit thrush’s concerts are
inspiring to those who appreciate bird songs.

amphitheater that is nestled in the hillside and is used by the school for special events. Skirt the
amphitheater’s edge and rejoin the trail on the izi side. You will soon see the pipeline, where
you can head north to Eliot Street (Route 16).

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Copyri^ 1992 Sherbom Forest & Trail Associatioo

20. Sherborn Town Forest -
Eliot Street to Hunting Lane

Sherbom Town Forest Committee Medium

Map location 2B Walking Time: 1 to 2 hours

Park at Pine Hill School to access this section of the Sherbom Town Forest, as well
as the portion from Eliot Street to Farm Road. A walk also can be started on North Main
Street (Route 27) between house numbers 61 and 83, which are located 1/4 mile south of
Dowse Orchards, at the Indian Brook stream crossing.

From Eliot Street
head northwest, following
the pipeline clearing. The
trail will take you behind the
town’s maintenance garage
on Butler Street. Notice the
pond to your left, a favorite
place for ducks. Notice also
that this pond lacks a
drainage stream, making it
"isolated land subject to
flooding", in wetlands
parlance. Follow the path
until you see North Main
Street, where the trail
doglegs left to avoid part of
the Indian Brook wetlands.

Resume your walk on the west side of North Main Street, just north of Indian
Brook. Gunsmith Lemuel Leland’s shop stood beside the brook; his house was number
61. In July, fine blackberries can be found here along the trail. Continue across the
railroad tracks into a planted grove of red pines. The Town Forest Committee planted
these trees in the 1930’s with the help of Boy Scouts. The red pine is a native conifer at
the southernmost edge of its habitat in Sherbom. These trees tend to shade out most other
plants, with the notable exception of the robust poison ivy, and provide poor habitat for
wildlife. Nonetheless, they form a stately canopy over the trail and the sound of the wind
through their needles makes the walk memorable.

Farther on, you will pass under many large white pines before you emerge at the
pipeline clearing. Check your Sherbom Forest & Trail Association map to find the trail
to the summit of Bmsh Hill, the highest point in Sherbom at 396 feet above sea level.
Forest has retaken the summit now, but it used to be completely clear of trees in
Sherbom’ s pasture days. It provided a view of Mount Wachusett, Mount Monadnock, and
Boston. A viewing tower at the summit, used by Mr. Lewis to watch for his sailing
vessels coming into Boston Roads, came down in the 1930’ s. The Bmsh Hill summit will
soon be the site of Sherbom ’s emergency antenna.

Spotlight: Wood turtle

The wood turtle is one of Sherbora’s uncommon species,
classified as "special concern". It lives in cool streams in
deciduous woodland, red maple swamps, marshy meadows and
farm country - which is a very good description of much of
Sherbom! It is 5 inches to 9 inches long. Its shell is formed by
concentric growth ridges. Each large section or carapace scute
looks Idee an irregular pyramid. The upper shell is brown and
keeled, and app>ears sculptured and rough.

The wood turtle is a good climber, able to surmount a 6-foot
chainlink fence. It eats worms, slugs, insects, tadpoles, and wild
fruit. Wood turtles are quite long-lived; one is known to have
reached 58 years of age. Habitat loss, collecting by people, and
its past use as food, have caused its numbers to decline.

Copyngfai 1992 Sherbom Forest & Treil Associatioa

You can continue your walk through the woods to the pipeline, where you can view
Lookout Farms, located in South Natick to the east. Further west, you eventually will
reach Perry Street after crossing onto the Brush Hill Trail. Or, you can reach the street
by cutting over at various spots on Hunting Lane, such as the trail just beyond house
number 110.

21. Ward Parks Pond

Sherbom Conservation Commission Easy

Map Location 3B Walking Time: 15 minutes

Park in the Ward Parks Pond parking lot in the center of town, across from the
tennis courts. The parking lot is adjacent to the site for the planned tot playground. The
walk here is easy and will be a natural complement to the playground. The trail loops
around the pond, winding through trees. You may see mallard ducks and other water
birds that frequent the pond. A green-backed heron has been a regular summer visitor
here for many years. In winter, the pond is used for ice skating.

In 1966, the pond was named in honor of Ward J. Parks, a Sherbom Selectman
from 1945 to 1960. Mr. Parks died in 1964 at 77 years of age. Sherbom’s first minister.
Rev. Gookins, owned this entire area. His house probably stood on or near 20 North
Main Street. The contract with Rev. Gookins was signed in 1681 and he was ordained in
1685.

Note the dry hydrant pipe flange protruding from the earth near the road.
Sherbom’s fire tmcks connect their hoses to these flanges to draw water from the pond
to put out fires. These ponds or buried water tanks are strategically located throughout
Sherbom, so that virtually the entire town can be reached from the dry hydrants. Please
do not park next to the hydrants.

22. West Goulding Street and Woodland Street

Sherbom Conservation Commission Medium

Map Location 3C Walking Time: 30 minutes

Park on northern side of West Goulding Street for this hike of medium difficulty
along a rough loop trail. Much of the land here is bowl shaped due to a glacial ice
contact. A large block of ice containing sand and gravel stopped just north of Woodland
Street. During the great melt, the entrained sediments washed to the south to form the
ridge under Woodland Street. A small amount of gravel was removed from here around
1970 to build the Deerfield Road subdivision that borders the conservation land on the
west.

There is a modest overlook to the west from West Goulding Street where you can
see a good portion of the public lands. In a few years, the growth of the young white

pines will obstruct the view. There are ill-defined trails in this area, but a bushwhacked
hike up and down hills yields an interesting walk through several habitats. A counter-
clockwise perimeter hike will take you from sandy soil where white pine saplings grow,
to the borders of the Sewall Brook wetlands where a red maple swamp can be seen, and
then, to an upland forest of oaks and white pine.

This is an excellent spot for a loop trail. If you are interested and are willing to
volunteer, a walking/jogging trail could be made. Contact the Sherbom Forest & Trail
Association for more details.

Striped chipmunk

Notes on Sherborn’s Public Open Spaces

Several organizations in town work to preserve open space. The Sherbom Rural
Land Foundation was established in 1974 for the purpose of acquiring, either through gift
or purchase, property in or around Sherbom. Its focus has been to preserve land that has
particular aesthetic or environmental value. The Foundation also acquires buildings which
have historical architectural significance. More recently, this organization has encouraged
gifts of easements and restrictions to protect undeveloped properties.

The Sherbom Conservation Commission presently accepts gifts of land on behalf
of the town. From 1991 to 1992, forty acres of conservation public land have been added
to the public lands via gifts. In the past, the Conservation Commission also was able to
purchase land on behalf of the town. But now, no town organizations, including the
Conservation Commission and the Sherbom Town Forest Committee, have funds to
purchase land.

Because of their volunteer maintenance work, hikers and horseback riders are
largely responsible for the fine condition of the trails on public and some private lands.
The Sherbom Forest & Trail Association comprises horsepeople and hikers and welcomes
everyone who is interested in the outdoors and in keeping trails open.

An extensive trail system is only part of Sherbom ’s wealth of open spaces.
Designated scenic roads comprise almost half the road-miles in town. Because these roads
are well used and well known by walkers and bicyclers, Sherbom Walks concentrates on
publicizing the lesser known off-road walks. However, Sherbom ’s scenic roads are
marked in a dotted fashion on the map on the back of this guide.

In addition to its scenic roads, Sherbom also boasts a particularly beautiful,
unspoiled stretch of the Charles River along its borders. The Charles River now has clean
water all the way to Waltham. If you paddle down the center of the river, you can even
outmn the mosquitoes in warm weather! The current is gentle enough for you to paddle
downstream and make the return trip upstream. On Route 27, access to the Charles River
is by the Sherbom/Medfield bridge; on Farm Road access is on the Dover side of bridge.
The Sherbom Forest & Trail Association sponsors canoe trips on the Charles twice each
year. There are many areas of the river bank that can be seen only from the water.

Sherbom also has several recreation areas. Laurel Farm has soccer and
baseball/softball fields. Another baseball field and four tennis courts lie behind the fire
station in the town center. Ward Parks Pond has a basketball court and a pond that is used
for skating in the winter. Pine Hill School also has playing fields and a nice playground.
Farm Pond is probably the most popular recreation spot in town, with swimming, boating,
and fishing in summer and ice skating in winter. Boating on Farm Pond is confined to
wind or human powered craft.

A possible future walk is the 115 year old Sudbury Aqueduct, controlled by the
Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA). The aqueduct starts in Framingham
and leads to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Newton. It enters Sherbom from Framingham
south of Sunshine Dairy, continues to the north of Laurel Farm, and exits into Natick just
north of Everett Street.

The MWRA’s official policy for this land is "No Trespassing". The aqueduct is
the backup if Boston’s Hultman Aqueduct were to fail. It is hoped this land will become
accessible once the Deep Tunnel Project is finished in late 1996, making the Sudbury
Aqueduct obsolete. There is a strong impetus to complete the project, because the
aqueduct cannot supply the same volume of water as the Hultman Aqueduct, and also
because the water supplied through the aqueduct does not meet drinking water standards,
due to development around the reservoirs in Framingham.

Water’s edge at the Lower Mill Pond on the Leland Reservation

Sherborn Birds

Compiled by Eliot Taylor, April 1992

Of the approximately 1 1 ,000 species of birds in the world, about 800 are foimd in North America north of Mexico, with
650 nesting species. The "Daily Field Card" of the Massachusetts Audubon Society lists 305 species usually seen in our state
in any year, with 193 nesting. In Sherborn, 199 species may be seen during the year, of which 107 can be listed as probable
nesters. The greatest number of birds may be seen from May 10th to May 25th, when nesting species have returned and migrants
are coming through.

L^end

Frequency of Sightings:

Common, often seen and well-distributed throughout Sherborn

Uncommon, regularly seen in small numbers in limited areas

Rarely seen

Months - Sighting Times:

Some individuals may linger throughout the year

9-4

Most likely seen from September to April

4-5,10-11

Seen in April/May, then again in October/November

Permanent resident

Nesting Birds:

Birds that nest and raise their yoimg in Sherborn

Bird

Freauencv

Months

Nest

Bird

Freauencv

Months

Nest

Common Loon

9-4

Sharp-shinned Hawk

4-11

Pied-billed Grebe

3-11

Cooper’s Hawk

Homed Grebe

10-5

Northern Goshawk

Great Cormorant

10-4

Red-shouldered Hawk

Double-crested Cormorant

4-10

Broad-winged Hawk

4-9

American Bittern

4-10

Red-tailed Hawk

Least Bittern

5-9

Rough-legged Hawk

10-4

Great Blue Heron

4-10

American Kestrel

Great Egret

4-10

Merlin

4-10

Snowy Egret

4-10

Peregrine Falcon

Green-backed Heron

4-10

Ring-necked Pheasant

Black-crowned Night-Heron U

4-10

Ruffed Grouse

Glossy Ibis

5-8

Wild Turkey

Snow Goose

4-5, 10-11

Northern Bobwhite

Canada Goose

Virginia Rail

4-10

Wood Duck

3-11

Sora

4-10

Green-winged Teal

3-12

American Coot

3-5, 10-11

American Black Duck

Semipalmated Plover

5-10

Mallard

Killdeer

3-11

Northern Pintail

3-12

Greater Yellowlegs

4-6, 8-11

Blue-winged Teal

4-11

Lesser Yellowlegs

4-5, 7-10

Northern Shoveler

3-5, 8-12

Solitary Sandpiper

4-5, 7-9

American Wigeon

3-5, 8-12

Spotted Sandpiper

5-0

Canvasback

10-4

Semipalmated Sandpiper

5, 7-10

Ring-necked Duck

4,11

Least Sandpiper

5, 7-10

Greater Scaup

9-5

Pectoral Sandpiper

5, 7-11

Lesser Scaup

Stilt Sandpiper

7-9

Common Goldeneye

10-5

Common Snipe

4-5, 9-11

Bufflehead

9-5

American Woodcock

3-11

Hooded Merganser

3-5, 9-12

Ring-billed Gull

Common Merganser

11-4

Herring Gull

Ruddy Duck

3-4, 10-12

Great Black-backed Gull

Turkey Vulture

3-11

Rock Dove

Osprey

4-5, 9-10

Mourning Dove

Bald Eagle

Black-billed Cuckoo

5-10

Northern Harrier

3-11

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

5-10

Bird Frequency

Months

Nest

Bird Freauencv

Months

Nest

Eastern Screech-Owl

Tennessee Warbler

5, 9

Great Homed Owl

Orange-crowned Warbler

5, 10

Barred Owl

Nashville Warbler

5, 10

Lx)ng-eared Owl

Northern Parula

5, 9

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Yellow Warbler

5-10

Common Nighthawk

5-9

Chestnut-sided Warbler

5-10

Whip-poor-will

5-9

Magnolia Warbler

5, 10

Chimney Swift

5-9

Cape May Warbler

5, 9

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

5-9

Black-throated Blue Warbler

5, 9

Belted Kingfisher

4-10 *

Yellow-rumped Warbler

5, 10 •

Red-headed Woodpecker

Black-throated Green Warbler

5-10

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Blackburnian Warbler

5. 9

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

4-10*

Pine Warbler

4-10*

Downy Woodpecker

Prairie Warbler

5-10

Hairy Woodpecker

Palm Warbler

4-5, 9-10

Northern Flicker

4-10 *

Bay-breasted Warbler

5, 9

Pileated Woodpecker

Blackpoll Warbler

5, 10

Olive-sided Flycatcher

5-9

Black-and-white Warbler

5-9

Eastern Wood-Pewee

5-9

American Redstart

5-10

Willow Flycatcher

5-9

Worm-eating Warbler

5-9

Least Flycatcher

5-9

Ovenbird

5-9

Eastern Phoebe

5-10

Northern Waterthrush

5-9

Great Crested Flycatcher

5-9

Louisiana Waterthrush

4-8

Eastern Kingbird

5-9

Common Yellowthroat

5-10

Tree Swallow

4-10

Hooded Warbler

5, 9

N. Rough-winged Swallow

5-8

Wilson’s Warbler

5, 9

Bank Swallow

5-9

Canada Warbler

5-9

Cliff Swallow

5-8

Scarlet Tanager

5-10

Bam Swallow

4-10

Northern Cardinal

Blue Jay

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

5-10

American Crow

Indigo Bunting

5-10

Fish Crow

Rufous-sided Towhee

4-10*

Black-capped Chickadee

American Tree Sparrow

Tufted Titmouse

Chipping Sparrow

4-10

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Field Sparrow

4-10*

White-breasted Nuthatch

Savannah Sparrow

4-5, 9-10

Brown Creeper

Grasshopper Sparrow

5-9

Carolina Wren

Fox Sparrow

10-4

House Wren

4-10

Song Sparrow

Winter Wren

4-11

Lincoln’s Sparrow

5, 10

Marsh Wren

4-10

Swamp Sparrow

4-10 *

Golden-crowned Kinglet

9-5

White-throated Sparrow

4-5, 9-11 *

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

9-5

White-crowned Sparrow

5, 10

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

5-9

Dark-eyed Junco

10-5

Eastern Bluebird

Bobolink

5-9

Veery

5-9

Red-winged Blackbird

3-7, 10-11 *

Gray-cheeked Thrush

5, 9

Eastern Meadowlark

3-10

Swainson’s Thmsh

5, 9

Rusty Blackbird

3-5, 9-10

Hermit Thrush

4-10

Common Grackle

3-11

Wood Thrush

5-9

Brown-headed Cowbird

4-11

American Robin

Orchard Oriole

5-7

Gray Catbird

4-10

Northern Oriole

5-9

Northern Mockingbird

Pine Grosbeak

11-3

Brown Thrasher

4-10

Purple Finch

Water Pipit

4-5, 9-10

House Finch

Cedar Waxwing

Red Crossbill

11-3

Northern Shrike

11-3

White-winged Crossbill

11-3

European Starling

Common Redpoll

Solitary Vireo

4-10

Pine Siskin

10-5

Yellow-throated Vireo

5-9

American Goldfinch

Warbling Vireo

5-9

Evening Grosbeak

11-5

Philadelphia Vireo

5.9

House Sparrow

Red-eyed Vireo

5-10

Blue-winged Warbler

5-9

Golden-winged Warbler

5-8

47 Copyrigh 1992 Sherbom Forest A Trail Assoctalkn

Regulations for the Use of Sherborn Conservation and Tovm

Forest Land

Unless otherwise sp>ecified for a particular parcel of land, property under the control of the Sherborn
Conservation Commission and property imder the control of the Sherborn Town Forest Committee is open to the public
for peaceful enjoyment and use compatible with the natural environment and consistent with the purposes for which
the land was acquired, but subject to the following regulations. Violation of these regulations may result in a fine not
to exceed $200 and in prosecution to the full extent of the law, as well as civil liability for damage to the property.

1. Unauthorized cutting or removing any plant, tree or other natural features, killing or trapping any animal or bird,
carrying or discharging of firearms, explosives or other projectiles, defacing or injuring signs, trees, trailmarkers,
buildings, walls or other property, and littering is prohibited.

2. A written permit for overnight camping must be obtained in advance and is available at the Sherborn Town Offices.

3. A written permit for open fires must be obtained in advance from the Sherborn Fire Department.

4. In those areas in which agricultural crops, including trees and fields of hay, are being cultivated, any act resulting
in damage to such crops is prohibited.

5. Except as permitted in this regulation, no motor vehicle is allowed on Conservation Commission or Town Forest
property. Motor vehicle, as used herein, includes, without limitation, a car, truck, jeep, tractor, motorcycle,
motorbike, trailbike, and snowmobile. Only the following motor vehicles may be operated on said prop>erty:

a. Motor vehicles of the Fire Department, the Police Department, the Highway Department, or the Land
Management and Development Department of the Town of Sherborn (or of others officially requested to assist any
of these Departments), but only in connection with the performance of official duties.

b. Motor vehicles of the Shell Oil Company and public utilities, their agents or contractees, but only to the extent
reasonably necessary to inspect, maintain, repair or replace the pipeline or utility lines or to prevent injury to
property adjacent to the pipeline or utility lines.

c. Motor vehicles the use of which has been approved, or which are used in connection with a project which has
been approved, by the Town Forest Committee or Conservation Commission or their respective authorized designees
with respect to land under the control of each or by the Board of Selectmen, but only to the extent reasonably
necessary to undertake and complete such project. Included, without limitation, in the foregoing is the reasonable
use of motor vehicles to haul wood cut pursriant to a Town Forest Committee or Conservation Commission permit.

d. Snowmobiles, when they are operated on existing trails in areas previously designated by the Conservation
Commission or Town Forest Committee. Snowmobiles may be operated only on at least six (6) inches of snow or
ice between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M. and only at reasonable speeds and with due regard to
pedestrians and other users of the property.

6. All users of the property shall comply with any posted regulatory sign (including, without limitation, signs closing
certain areas to all use) and with the verbal directions of a police officer or other agent of the Town of Sherborn.
Disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and any action illegal under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
or By-Laws of the Town of Sherborn are forbidden on the property.

7. Any group activity involving twelve (12) or more persons is requested to notify the Sherborn Police Department
in advance of its intended use of the property, and all persons are strongly urged to respect the boundaries of private
property and not to trespass thereon without the express permission of the land owner.

Copyri^ 1992 Sberbom FoieM A Trail AModatkn

Bibliography

Austing, G. Ronald. The World of the Red-tailed Hawk. Philadelphia and New York; J. B. Lippincott
Co., 1964.

Dowse, Mary E. Sherbom Geology, Groundwater, Environmental Concerns. Sherbom, MA, 1988.

Drimmer, Frederick. The Animal Kingdom. New York: Greystone Press, 1954.

Duddington, C. L. Evolution and Design in the Plant Kingdom. Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1969.

Hall, Max. The Charles, The People’s River. Boston: David R. Godine, Publisher, Inc., 1986.

Johnson, Lady Bird, and Lees, Carlton B. Wildflowers Across America. New York: Abbeville Press,
1988.

Lazell Jr., James D. This Broken Archipelago. New York: Demeter Press, 1976.

Massachusetts Audubon Society. A Checklist of Massachusetts Birds. Lincoln, MA: Massachusetts
Audubon Society, 1986.

Massachusetts Water Resource Authority. Environmental Notification Form - Sudbury River Aqueduct
Rehabilitation. Boston, 1989.

McAdow, Ron. The Charles River. Marlborough, MA: Bliss Publishing Co., 1992.

National Audubon Society. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles & Amphibians.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979.

National Audubon Society. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees. New York:
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1980.

Peterson, Roger Tory. A Field Guide to the Birds. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1947.

Rickett, Harold William. The New Field Book of American Wild Flowers. New York: G. P. Putnam’s
Sons, 1963.

Rue III, Leonard Lee. The World of the Red Fox. New York: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1969.

Shaughnessy, Anne Carr. The History of Sherbom. Sherbom, MA: The Three Hundreth Anniversary
Committee, 1974.

Town of Sherbom. Open Space and Recreation Plan. Sherbom, MA: Town of Sherbom, 1989.

Wilson, Margaret Klein. Walks in Wellesley - Exploring Wellesley’s Open Space. Wellesley, MA:
McNaughton & Gunn, 1991.

JAN 2 5

Notes

Sherborn Library
4 Sanger Street
Sherborn, MA 01770

508-653-0770

Cofyri^ 1992 Sherborn Forest & Trail Assodstioo

SHERb jkri LIBRARY
-HERBORN, MA 01770-1439

Table of Sherborn Walks

Publicly Accessible Lands with Trails

Bay

Circuit

Fhiblic/

Private

Trail

Map

Grid

Bailey Trail - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Public

F&TA

Barber Reservation - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Yes

Public

F&TA

Bogastow Trail - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Public

F&TA

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary - Massachusetts Audubon Society -
for use by the public under certain conditions

Private

Broad-

moor

Brush Hill Trail- Sherborn Conservation Commission

Yes

Public

F&TA

Farm Pond - Sherborn Selectmen

Public

Grandfather’s Field - The Trustees of Reservations

Private

Hildreth / Schoolhouse Trail - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Public

F&TA

Laurel Farm - Sherborn Selectmen

Public

Leland Reservation - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Public

F&TA

Little Farm Pond - Massachusetts Audubon Society at Broadmoor
Wildlife Sanctuary - for use by the public imder certain
conditions. Litle Farm Pond is a Great Pond, thus publicly
owned.

Private/

Public

Broad-

moor

MacGregor Quarry - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Public

Peters Hill Trail - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Public

F&TA

Pine Hill Cemetery - Sherborn Cemetery Commission

Public

Pleasant Street Trail - Sherborn Rural Land Foundation

Private

Rocky Narrows Reservation - including Sherborn Town Forest
(public) and Rocky Narrows Reservation, a property of The
Trustees of Reservations

Yes

Public

F&TA

Sewall Brook Trail - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Public

Sherborn Town Forest - Goulding Street to Farm Road

Yes

Public

F&TA

Sherborn Town Forest - Farm Road to Eliot Street

Yes

Public

F&TA

Sherborn Town Forest - Eliot Street to Hunting Lane

Yes

Public

F&TA

Ward Parks Pond - Sherborn Conservation Commission

Public

West Goulding & Woodland St. - Sherborn Conservation
Commission

Fhiblic

Legend:

F&TA = Sherborn Forest & Trail Association map
Broadmoor = Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary map
Bay Circuit = "Yes" means part of the Bay Circuit Trail

Sherborn Library
Sherborn, MA 01770

PnotiQt pud tor bv me Slieroorti f‘ore$i and Trtti Associuioo- Ttui mipe for iiKlividuAi properties evulable tbrouib (fie associatioo-

Legend

MASS. AU0U80N LAND
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
CONSERVATION LAND • TRAILS
SHERBORN RURAL LAND FOUNDATION
TOWN FOREST

TOWN LAND (Board ol Selectman) |

TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS ♦ ♦ • —

1500 >000 iSOO Scale in Feei

SCENIC R.0ADS

PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE LANDS
IN

SHERBORN. MASSACHUSETTS

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